[Communication & Media Studies](/majors/communication-journalism-media/communication-media-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for communication & media studies students.
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If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the communication & media studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in communication & media studies, no school beat Snow College this year. Snow College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Ephraim. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,338, compared with $14,288 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $10,440. Communication & Media Studies graduates of Snow College earn a median of $42,776 early in their careers. Set against $10,440 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Salt Lake Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,426, while out-of-state students pay about $14,244. Students borrow a median of $12,220 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $42,031. Set against $12,220 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Latter Day Saints Business College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, Latter Day Saints Business College is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,004. Graduates go on to earn a median of $50,630 ten years after entry.
Students looking for strong value in communication & media studies will find it at Weber State University, which ranked #4. Weber State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ogden. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,557, with out-of-state students paying around $17,545. Students borrow a median of $16,566 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Weber State University generally make around $55,569. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southern Utah University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in communication & media studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Cedar City, Southern Utah University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,962, compared with $21,192 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $13,900. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $40,245. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Utah University admits about 82% of applicants.
Utah State University placed #6 among the best values for communication & media studies. Located in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,560, while out-of-state students pay about $24,993. Students borrow a median of $14,750 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $37,574. Set against $14,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Utah State University admits about 92% of applicants.
University Of Utah came in at #7 for value in communication & media studies this year. Located in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,620, compared with $30,860 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $18,017. Communication & Media Studies graduates of University Of Utah earn a median of $43,801 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Brigham Young University Provo earned the #8 position for value in communication & media studies this year. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. In-state tuition and fees average $6,688. Students borrow a median of $22,530 to complete the communication & media studies program here. Soon after graduation, communication & media studies degree recipients from Brigham Young University Provo generally make around $46,747. Set against $22,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Dixie State College Of Utah earned the #9 position for value in communication & media studies this year. Dixie State College Of Utah is a large public school located in the city of Saint George. Students from in state pay about $6,306 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,246. Typical student debt for communication & media studies graduates is $20,500. Early-career communication & media studies graduates make about $32,815. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
